Togetherness
by crazy-dreams
Summary: Rory and Jess are away at college when Luke has to move in with Lorelai temporarily. Love and other disasters ensue. L/L with some R/J **COMPLETE**
1. Default Chapter

Things to note: Rory and Jess are 2nd year at Harvard, sharing an apartment. Lorelai and Luke are good friends, spend a lot of time together now that Rory and Jess are away. Lorelai and Jess co-exist peacefully.  
  
All characters belong to someone else's creative genius and the people at WB. I'm just borrowing for a lil while...  
  
Togetherness  
  
  
  
It was Friday night and Lorelai was driving home from dinner at her parent's house. They'd kept up the tradition even after Rory graduated from Chilton and was now away at college. Lorelai and Emily both still complained but neither of them would have it any other way. As Lorelai entered Stars Hollow she was surprised to see flashing lights and people crowing the street.  
  
"What's going on?' she wondered. She drove further down the main street and saw the fire truck in front of the diner. Smoke was pouring from the roof.  
  
'Oh my god, Luke!' Lorelai stopped the car in the middle of the road and pushed her was through the crowd. She spotted him standing next to an ambulance looking forlornly at the smoldering diner.  
  
"Luke!" Lorelai cried, throwing her arms around him.  
  
Surprised, Luke hugged her back.  
  
"Thank God you're okay," Lorelai said when she pulled away, "what happened?"  
  
"Fire started in the kitchen," Luke explained, "luckily no one was hurt."  
  
The fire brigade had the flames under control and the crowd began to dispense.  
  
Luke sighed, taking one last look at the diner, "I can't deal with this right now. Can I get a room at the Inn for the night?" he asked Lorelai.  
  
"Of course." She rubbed his back sympathetically as they walked away.  
  
  
  
The next morning Lorelai dropped by the diner on her way to the Inn. Luke was surveying the damage and already had a team of builders there.  
  
"Hey, what's the verdict?" Lorelai called out, carefully stepping through the charred and smoky room.  
  
"You shouldn't be in here, it's not safe." Luke steered her outside onto the pavement.  
  
"The damage to the diner isn't that bad, it's mostly cosmetic," he explained, "it's the apartment that's gonna need a complete rebuild."  
  
"You're insured right?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"Yeah, it's just a pain in the butt," Luke looked incredibly dejected.  
  
Lorelai hugged him goodbye, "if there's anything I can do, you know where to find me. I'll see you at the Inn tonight, okay?"  
  
  
  
That night at the Inn Luke and Lorelai sat in a corner of the kitchen eating a meal specially prepared by Sookie. Luke was in a slightly better mood.  
  
"The builders think they can have the diner operable again in under a week," Luke said.  
  
"That's great!" Lorelai exclaimed.  
  
"The bad news is the apartment could take up to a month," he continued, "apparently they need to redo the foundations entirely. So it looks like I'll be sleeping on the diner floor for a while."  
  
"No, Luke you don't have to do that!"  
  
"Well I can't afford to stay here for a whole month."  
  
"Come live with me," Lorelai said immediately.  
  
"No. Thanks, but no," said Luke.  
  
"Why not?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"We'd kill each other," he replied.  
  
"I promise, I'll be on my best behaviour," Lorelai smiled sweetly.  
  
"It's not a good idea."  
  
"Yes it is. You need somewhere to stay and I have a big house all to myself."  
  
"I don't want to impose," Luke insisted.  
  
"It's not an imposition! We're friends. If the situation were reversed you'd do the same for me," Lorelai paused, "wouldn't you?" she asked worriedly.  
  
"Of course, but..."  
  
"But nothing! Let's go salvage your stuff!" Lorelai cleared away their plates.  
  
"You did hear the part where it could be nearly a month until my apartment's ready, right?" Luke checked.  
  
"So if it really doesn't work out we'll find something else. Don't worry," she told him.  
  
"Okay, thanks Lorelai," he replied seriously.  
  
"You can thank me by having fresh coffee every morning."  
  
"I knew there was a catch," Luke groaned.  
  
  
  
The whole town was buzzing about Luke moving in with Lorelai.  
  
"I should hold a town meeting," she complained to Sookie and Michel, "to advise everyone that yes, he is moving in, to my SPARE room not my bedroom, so they can all just calm down."  
  
"Aw, I think it's romantic!" Sookie said.  
  
"Sookie, how is it romantic?" Lorelai wanted to know.  
  
She shrugged, "I don't know, after you've been married for a couple of years anything seems romantic."  
  
"I do not see what the fuss is about," Michel commented.  
  
"Good for you, Michel," Lorelai encouraged.  
  
"I mean, you are practically married already," he continued.  
  
"Hey, where'd you get that from?" Lorelai demanded.  
  
"You order him around, he make you food, he fixes your house and doesn't even get any sex."  
  
"The man has a point," said Sookie.  
  
Lorelai sighed, "there is no relief from madness of this town! I'm leaving now, see you guys tomorrow."  
  
"Bye Sweetie, say hi to Luke for me!" Sookie called after her.  
  
  
  
"The inhabitants of this town lead waaaay too small lives," Lorelai complained, wandering into the spare bedroom where Luke was unpacking his stuff.  
  
Luke agreed with her, "don't go too close to the window," he warned, "Miss Patty's over at Babette's with a pair of binoculars."  
  
"You're kidding!"  
  
"I wish I was."  
  
Lorelai raced to the window and waved at Miss Patty before yanking the curtains closed.  
  
"You do realise that will only encourage her," Luke said.  
  
"Gotta keep them on their toes until someone starts handing out Valium!" she responded brightly, "so how's it going?"  
  
"Fine. I don't have that much stuff to unpack, thanks."  
  
"Good, cos I wasn't offering to help. I just wanted to see what time you were starting dinner."  
  
"I knew there was something in this for you," Luke said.  
  
"You mean besides the pleasure of your company? Which, let's face it, would get you maybe an hour of hospitality, tops."  
  
"Okay, let's go see what I have to work with," said Luke as he and Lorelai made their way downstairs to the kitchen.  
  
Luke went through the kitchen cupboards, "empty, empty, canned beetroot, empty, empty, stale poptarts. How do you live like this?" he asked Lorelai who was perched on the table flipping through a magazine.  
  
She shrugged, "I spend a lot of time at the diner, in case you haven't noticed."  
  
Luke moved on to an inventory of the fridge, "Leftover Chinese take out, one can of diet coke with lemon and two tubes of lipstick."  
  
"Ooh, pass me the coke," called Lorelai.  
  
"Why do you keep lipstick in the fridge?" Luke asked, throwing her the coke.  
  
"To stop them from melting."  
  
"It's October."  
  
"So they've been there a while. I'll need to buy new colours next summer anyway."  
  
Luke just rolled his eyes, grabbed his wallet and headed out the door, Lorelai jumped off the table and ran after him.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"To the store."  
  
"Great, I have a craving for chocolate chip cookies!"  
  
"We're going to buy some real food," Luke told her sternly, "no junk."  
  
"Please daddy, can't I have one treat, I promise to be a good girl," Lorelai begged as they got in Luke's truck.  
  
Luke just glared at her.  
  
  
  
"Okay," Luke said when they got to the market, "we'll split the list and you can get whatever else you need, but remember no junk."  
  
"List?" Lorelai asked blankly, "I usually just pick a random aisle, start wandering around and grab whatever I feel like."  
  
"But what if you forget something? Isn't that just a big waste of time?"  
  
"Hey loosen up. Grab a basket and we'll shop the Lorelai way," she headed down the nearest aisle, "ooh sparklers, haven't had those in ages," she grabbed a packet, "Come on Luke, I'll even let you buy everything on that list. What's first?"  
  
"We're in the wrong aisle," Luke complained, "see everything on the list is in order."  
  
"You're kidding, what if Taylor changes something around?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"He wouldn't dare."  
  
Lorelai grinned at him, "I bet you'd just freak out if one day someone switched the toothpaste and the laundry detergent."  
  
"I would not," Luke scoffed.  
  
"I think you would, I think you have a problem," Lorelai sang.  
  
"I do not. It just makes sense this way. You should always start with the bottles and cans and leave the fruit and veggies to the end so they don't get squashed."  
  
"I never buy fruit and veggies."  
  
"Okay, so the chips don't get squashed."  
  
"Uh huh, it's called obsessive compulsive disorder, Luke."  
  
"Hey! Best behaviour, remember," he pointed a finger at her.  
  
"Yes Daddy," Lorelai poked her tongue out.  
  
"Oh would you look at that!" a voice cooed behind them.  
  
"Hi, Patty, what are we looking at?" Lorelai asked after turning around.  
  
"Don't you two just make the sweetest couple, gathering supplies for the nest," Miss Patty continued.  
  
"Oh brother," Luke groaned.  
  
"Okay, we have to be moving on now Patty," Lorelai took Luke's arm and steered them the other way.  
  
Kirk appeared at the end of the aisle.  
  
"Rats! All exits blocked!"  
  
Kirk snapped a photo, "first grocery shop," he noted proudly.  
  
"Bring on the psyche team," Luke muttered.  
  
He and Lorelai paid for their groceries and made a hasty exit.  
  
  
  
As they unpacked the groceries, Lorelai was disappointed to discover she'd managed to sneak only one bag of potato chips and a couple of candy bars in with Luke's healthy purchases.  
  
"This won't even last me the night," she complained, "do you know what happens when I don't get my sugar fix?"  
  
"You calm down?" Luke suggested hopefully.  
  
"Hah! You wish!"  
  
Luke made dinner and, despite the fact that it looked suspiciously healthy, Lorelai enjoyed it.  
  
"Sooo," she began, after they'd eaten and cleaned up the kitchen, "what do you want to do now?"  
  
Luke shrugged, "I dunno. I'm not really used to having so much free time at night."  
  
"We could watch a movie?" Lorelai suggested.  
  
"Okay," Luke agreed.  
  
They sat uncomfortably in silence for a while, with Lorelai sitting on the couch and Luke on the floor at her feet, neither of them concentrating on the movie.  
  
"Hey Luke?" Lorelai said suddenly.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I'm glad you're okay. You know, with the fire and everything. I just wanted to say that."  
  
Luke raised his head and looked up at her, "thanks."  
  
"No problem."  
  
"For everything," Luke added.  
  
"Anytime."  
  
They resumed staring at the TV screen, this time in comfortable silence.  
  
  
  
Please Please Please be a good reader and Review! 


	2. Ch2

II  
  
  
  
The next morning Lorelai was rudely awakened by a crash followed by a string of square words.  
  
'Wahh?' she thought, rolling out of bed.  
  
Lorelai stumbled out into the hall, "Luke?" she called, "what are you doing?"  
  
"Sorry, I tripped over the lamp," Luke explained.  
  
"It's 5:30 what are you doing up so early?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"Habit," Luke explained, "my body doesn't realise it doesn't have a diner to open this morning. Sorry to wake you up. Go back to sleep," he advised.  
  
"Too late now!" Lorelai complained.  
  
"Okay, well come downstairs and I'll make you some coffee."  
  
"Mmm, in that case you can stay forever," Lorelai murmured sleepily, resting an arm on Luke's shoulder for support as she followed him downstairs.  
  
  
  
A couple of hours later Lorelai entered the Inn with a big yawn.  
  
"You look terrible," Michel commented.  
  
"Did I address you?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"Are you feeling okay?" Sookie asked more diplomatically, "you seem kinda grumpy."  
  
"I'm just a little tired," replied Lorelai.  
  
"ooh, is there a dirty explanation for that?" Sookie asked hopefully.  
  
"Unfortunately not."  
  
"Unfortunately?"  
  
"Yeah, I would rather be tired out from a night of passion than from Luke tripping over a lamp and waking me up at 5:30 this morning."  
  
"A night of passion with Luke?" Sookie pressed.  
  
"I didn't say that."  
  
"No, but it'll be fun to pass on!"  
  
"Sookie! You're supposed to be my friend!" Lorelai complained.  
  
"Sorry, the buzz around town is contagious."  
  
Lorelai just groaned and reached for the coffee. It was going to be a long day.  
  
  
  
"Hi Honey, I'm home!" Lorelai announced when she came home that night.  
  
"How was your day?" Luke asked, handing her a beer as she entered the kitchen.  
  
"Oooh, thanks, I need this," Lorelai took a sip, "Today Mrs Kim hit me with a bible and yelled at me in Korean. Lane said it was something about living in sin. And Kirk posted the photos of us grocery shopping on Miss Patty's website, which someone told my mother about so she's been calling me all day. I had to take the battery out of my cell phone. Apart from that, it was fine. How was yours?"  
  
"Pretty good actually. By some miracle the builders are actually on schedule, so I should be able to open the diner again in a couple of days.'  
  
"That's great!"  
  
"You may want to rethink that. With nothing better to do I spent the day mowing your lawn, fixing the porch step and repainting the laundry door."  
  
"Luke you didn't have to do all that!"  
  
Luke just shrugged modestly and changed the subject, "so what do you feel like for dinner?"  
  
"mmm.. icecream.with oreos..and lasagne..with lots of beef and extra cheese."  
  
Luke rolled his eyes, "you can have vegetable lasagne with salad."  
  
"You can't take advantage of the situation like this!" Lorelai protested.  
  
"Watch me. I'm only cooking one meal, so it has to be something we'll both eat."  
  
Lorelai pouted. In an attempt to pacify her, Luke added: "If you eat all your salad you can have some icecream for dessert."  
  
"Thank you daddy," she replied cheekily.  
  
"Don't call me that, it's creepy," he complained.  
  
Lorelai went upstairs to change but quickly returned to the kitchen to keep Luke company while he cooked.  
  
'So this is what it's like to have a man around the house,' Lorelai thought. As fantastic as living with Rory was, she'd always secretly liked the idea. So far, it was proving to be a good experience. Luke was definitely a great guy. He was very handy, he could cook. His conversational skills left something to be desired, but he was easy on the eyes. Lorelai watched him chop carrots, his flannel shirt rolled up to reveal strong forearms.  
  
"Earth to Lorelai," Luke's voice interrupted her thoughts, "what are you staring at? Never seen a carrot before?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Can you grab the grater for me please?" he asked.  
  
"Sure," Lorelai brushed past him to retrieve it and Luke inhaled deeply as she did. This was what he missed about living with a woman, they always smelled so good.  
  
"Do you like living alone?" Lorelai asked.  
  
'Wow, is she reading my mind?' Luke thought to himself before replying, "sure."  
  
"Really?'  
  
"You don't have to worry about always being considerate of the other person when you've had a hard day and just want to be left in peace," he explained, "you don't have to clean up after their mess, or fight about who drank the last of the milk."  
  
"Yeah, but there's no one around to talk to about your day," Lorelai countered, "no one to help you move your dresser when you drop and earring behind it, no one to wake up when you hear a noise in the middle of the night."  
  
"I don't loose earrings or get scared in the middle of the night," Luke was interrupted by a knock at the door.  
  
"Hi Babette," Lorelai let her neighbour it the kitchen door.  
  
"Hi sugar, I'm sorry to bother you two, I was just hoping I could borrow a cup of flour?" Babette asked.  
  
"You're in luck," Lorelai said, pulling a bag out of the cupboard.  
  
"Kirk isn't lurking out there with his camera is he?" Luke asked, peering out the window.  
  
"Don't mind him," Lorelai said, handing Babette a cup of flour.  
  
"Well, I'll leave the two of you to have some privacy," Babette winked, "that dinner smells real good. You kids have a good night."  
  
"Bye," Lorelai called, cutting off Luke's sarcastic comment, "concentrate on the food," she advised him.  
  
  
  
"That wasn't too bad," Lorelai admitted after dinner, "you may convert me yet."  
  
"Time to do the dishes," Luke announced, as they carried their plates to the sink.  
  
"This is why I never cook. I thought I had a dishwasher here somewhere," Lorelai looked around the kitchen hopefully.  
  
"The pots all have to be done by hand," Luke told her, "do you want to wash or dry?"  
  
"Dry," Lorelai replied immediately, waving her hands, "I just painted my nails."  
  
"Okay princess."  
  
Lorelai whacked Luke with the tea towel.  
  
"Hey!" he retaliated by flicking suds at her  
  
When Lorelai protested, wiping her chin on her sleeve, Luke grabbed another tea towel and advanced as if to wipe the soap off, but instead flicked her arm with the towel. Lorelai, amazed to see this playful side of Luke, flicked hers back and soon an all out war was in progress.  
  
"Truce!" Lorelai finally shouted breathlessly. She was backed against the pantry door, doubled over with laughter.  
  
They had somehow managed to spill flour and leftover sauce all over the table and it was now dripping on to the floor.  
  
"The kitchen hasn't been this messy since the time I put 10 tomatoes in the microwave and waited for them to explode."  
  
"Why?" asked Luke.  
  
"Rory had just discovered bad horror movies and she wanted to see if they'd look like blood."  
  
"Rory wanted to see?" Luke asked doubtfully.  
  
"Okay, so I wanted to see as well. It may have even been my suggestion," Lorelai admitted."  
  
"Of course. So what happened?"  
  
"I spent the next 3 hours cleaning out the microwave."  
  
"It didn't occur to you that this might be a consequence?"  
  
"Yeah but I thought it'd be worth it cos it looked cool."  
  
"Nothing you do will ever surprise me," Luke said as they began cleaning up the mess.  
  
  
  
Later on Lorelai and Luke were watching another movie. This time Luke was sitting on the couch with Lorelai on the floor in front of him.  
  
"Hey Luke," Lorelai began.  
  
"Yes Lorelai?" Luke asked patiently.  
  
"Why did you use that tone?" Lorelai switched her chain of thought abruptly.  
  
"What tone?" asked Luke.  
  
"That you're-crazy-but-I'll-humour-you tone."  
  
"I just got the feeling of déjà vu. Last night we were watching a movie and, out of the blue, you said 'hey Luke' and began a conversation and now you're doing it again."  
  
"Would you rather I just shut up and let you watch the movie?"  
  
"No, I just thought you kept putting movies on so you wouldn't have to talk to me."  
  
"Why would I not want to talk to you? I thought you wouldn't want to talk to me?"  
  
"Why would you think that?"  
  
"Because. I don't know!" Lorelai said in frustration, "is this uncomfortable for you?"  
  
"Apart from the comments from everyone else, no. Why, do you want me to move out?"  
  
"No, of course not. What I was originally going to say what that I like having you here," explained Lorelai.  
  
"Yeah, you don't have to go to the diner for food."  
  
"That is a definite bonus, but it's more than that. I like the company. The house seems so lonely by myself sometimes."  
  
"You really miss Rory huh?" Luke asked sympathetically.  
  
"Yeah, I didn't realise just how much I'd miss having her around. It was always the two of us, you know?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"So do you miss Jess?"  
  
"Nah," Luke scoffed, "well maybe a little."  
  
They sat in silence for a moment.  
  
"You won't be alone forever," they both blurted out suddenly.  
  
"Jinx," Lorelai said with a smile.  
  
"If you ever tell Jess I said that about him I'll have to kill you both," Luke advised.  
  
They turned back to the TV. Luke's hand rested next to Lorelai's head and he began absently playing with her hair. Lorelai was startled at first, but it wasn't an unpleasant sensation, so she laid her head back and relaxed. The movement caused Luke to realise what he was doing.  
  
"Sorry," he said, quickly pulling his hand back.  
  
"Don't be," Lorelai replied, but Luke was so embarrassed that he kept his hands to himself for the remainder of the movie.  
  
  
  
  
  
Short chapter, I know, but I have a case study to write =p I promise it gets better! In the next part, Rory and Jess make an appearance. =) 


	3. Ch3

III  
  
  
  
The next morning, despite his trying to be quiet, Luke woke Lorelai up at 5:30 again.  
  
She jumped out of bed and met him in the hall, "go back to bed," she ordered.  
  
"Good morning to you too," Luke replied.  
  
"Go back to bed," Lorelai repeated, "it's not like you have anywhere to go today, I'm going to teach you the joys of sleeping in."  
  
She led Luke firmly back to his room and pushed him onto the bed. Luke tried to get up but Lorelai wouldn't allow it, "stay," she ordered before going back to her own bed.  
  
Luke rolled around uncomfortably in bed for an hour. He heard Lorelai get up and listened to her wander around the house. She talked to herself; he realised with a laugh. Or was that the toaster she was talking to? Sleeping in definitely wasn't for him. Luke lay around, bored, for a while longer until he could finally take it no more and got up to have a shower.  
  
  
  
Lorelai was in the kitchen, having finished her conversation with the toaster, thinking she should have let Luke get up and make her some coffee when she heard an angry voice, "LORELAI!"  
  
Uh, oh, that didn't sound good, she thought, following the voice upstairs.  
  
"LORELAI" Luke yelled again.  
  
"I'm coming, keep your... shirt on," Lorelai finished ruefully. Luke was glaring at her from being the bathroom door, wrapped in a towel.  
  
"Lorelai, what happened to the hot water?" Luke growled.  
  
"I have no idea," she replied innocently.  
  
"Cos when I had a shower first the other day there seemed to be enough water for both of us."  
  
"I may have had a slightly longer shower than you," Lorelai admitted.  
  
"So you practically tie me down this morning, forcing me to 'sleep in' for the first time I can remember and then you use all the hot water.."  
  
He looked really annoyed. Lorelai took a couple of nervous steps back, fairly confident that Luke wouldn't chase her down wearing only a towel.  
  
"Well what am I supposed to do now?" he demanded.  
  
"Lots of deodorant," she suggested, "gotta go, I'll be late for work. Town meeting tonight, remember?"  
  
Luke groaned at the thought, "okay, I'm going to check on the builders today."  
  
"Great, I'll meet you at the diner when you finish work," Lorelai said cheerfully.  
  
Luke felt the strangest urge to throw something at her, but there was nothing appropriate on hand. Damn.  
  
  
  
That evening, Lorelai and Luke tried to sneak into the town meeting, but Taylor spotted them.  
  
"You're late!" he announced.  
  
Everyone turned to look.  
  
"It's her fault!" Luke stated.  
  
"Sorry, I'm corrupting him," Lorelai said as they slid into a couple of seats in the empty back row.  
  
"Do you think we should let them sit back there all alone?" Miss Patty asked.  
  
"Huh?" asked Luke.  
  
"I'm sure they can control themselves for the duration of the meeting, Miss Patty," said Taylor.  
  
"Okay, just remember this isn't the back row of the movies," Miss Patty wagged a finger at Lorelai and Luke.  
  
Kirk turned around and held up his camera, "but if you do give me enough notice to warm up the flash."  
  
Lorelai put a hand on Luke's arm to stop him from attacking Kirk, "we'll try to restrain ourselves," she promised.  
  
"Right," Taylor said, "first item on the agenda, the first annual Stars Hollow Karaoke Contest will be held on Sunday night. Miss Patty has kindly agree to host the event."  
  
"I wish they wouldn't call it that," Luke grumbled softly to Lorelai.  
  
"Call it what?" she whispered back.  
  
"First annual," said Luke, "it implies we'll be subjected to this hell again next year!"  
  
Taylor cleared his throat and glared at Luke and Lorelai, "something you'd like to share with us all?"  
  
"Yeah, this karaoke idea is even nuttier than the basket thing!" Luke spoke out.  
  
"I should have known better than to expect Mr No-town-spirit to like the idea. What about you Lorelai?"  
  
"No, I think it'll be fun! Well, funny at least."  
  
"Traitor," Luke hissed.  
  
"I'm just sorry Rory can't be here to witness the birth of a new Stars Hollow tradition!" Lorelai declared.  
  
Taylor looked at her suspiciously, "well that's good to hear. Any other comments?" he asked.  
  
  
  
After the meeting, Luke and Lorelai were walking home.  
  
"So the diner's reopening tomorrow?" Lorelai asked Luke.  
  
"Yep," he replied proudly.  
  
"Is it gonna be like when you were doing renovations last time, with customers having to pick plaster out of their food?"  
  
"Probably," Luke admitted, "but I can't afford to leave the place closed."  
  
"Plus you can't stand the idea of a vacation from work. You're problem is you don't know how to relax," Lorelai punched him playfully in the arm.  
  
"Hey!" Luke complained, "you're really abusive, you know that?"  
  
"I am not!"  
  
"Yes you are! It's dangerous living with you!" he began listing all the things she'd done to him in the past week, "you started a tea towel fight, you're always pushing me around, you hit me with a shoe..."  
  
"That was an accident!" Lorelai protested, "I threw the shoe at the insect, your head just got in the way!"  
  
Luke just shook his head, "this is what I have to put up with!"  
  
Lorelai bumped up against him, "you love it, you know you do."  
  
He stretched an arm over her shoulder, "yeah it has its moments."  
  
Lorelai ducked away, "pew, don't get too close, I know you haven't showered since yesterday!" she joked.  
  
"You're gonna regret you said that," Luke warned, grabbing her arm and pulling her into a bear hug.  
  
"Luke, what will the town say?" Lorelai pretended to be scandalized, "public displays of affection in the middle of Stars Hollow?"  
  
He quickly released her and looked around nervously, but luckily no one seemed to notice.  
  
"So what should we do tonight?" Lorelai asked, "I think we've seen enough movies, I'm feeling more adventurous tonight, wanna go egg Taylor's house?"  
  
"How old are you?" Luke asked.  
  
"How old are YOU?" she countered.  
  
"Okay, I'm just a grumpy old man."  
  
"You are not, Luke," Lorelai insisted.  
  
"That's what I feel like sometimes. Not when I'm with you though."  
  
"I do have a strange talent for bringing out the immaturity in people."  
  
"No argument here."  
  
Lorelai stopped in front of Doose's Market and burst out laughing.  
  
"What?" Luke asked.  
  
Lorelai shook her head, "I was just thinking about the irony of buying eggs from Taylor's store then throwing them at his house."  
  
"Come on, I'm taking you home."  
  
"I'm sorry daddy!"  
  
  
  
  
  
By the end of the week, the diner was open and Luke and Lorelai had a regular schedule. Living together was working out pretty well until Friday morning when Luke crashed into Lorelai at the bottom of the stairs. She was wearing only a skirt and bra.  
  
"Lorelai!" he complained, shielding his eyes, "what are you doing?"  
  
"The top I want is in the laundry," she explained, "what's the problem?"  
  
"I live here now, you can't run around half naked!"  
  
"Luke is a prude," Lorelai teased, prising his hands away from his face, "if it doesn't bother me I don't see why it should bother you."  
  
"You'd be comfortable if I walked around in my underwear?" He asked.  
  
"Yes please," she joked before running off to find her top.  
  
  
  
Luke scowled. He'd show her.  
  
That afternoon Luke left the diner early so he'd be home before Lorelai. He sat on the couch wearing only his boxers. When he heard the front door open, Luke turned his head, "hey Lorelai, I've been-" he stopped abruptly.  
  
"Hi Luke," Rory said as she entered the house, followed by Jess. Both were carrying bags.  
  
"Hi Rory, hi Jess," Luke choked, "I'll just go put some clothes on."  
  
Rory and Jess looked at each other, a little stunned, as he bolted out of the room.  
  
TBC.... heehee... 


	4. Ch4

IV  
  
  
  
Rory and Jess were looking at each other in astonishment, bags dropped in the entrance.  
  
Before they could comment Lorelai came home.  
  
"Rory!" she cried, engulfing her daughter in a warm hug, "did I know you were coming?"  
  
"No, sorry mom, we should have called, but we had a long weekend and figured we hadn't visited Stars Hollow in a while."  
  
"Well you're always very welcome," she looked over Rory's shoulder, "hi Jess."  
  
Jess waved.  
  
"We stopped at Luke's first but he wasn't here," Rory explained.  
  
"Oh that's because-"  
  
"He was here."  
  
"Home early huh? Where did he go?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"To get dressed."  
  
"Oh. Naughty boy!"  
  
"Is this a normal occurrence?" Rory wanted to know.  
  
"He's just trying to get back at me for this morning." Lorelai explained how Luke came to be living with her.  
  
Jess excused himself and went to find Luke.  
  
"This is so great!" Lorelai hugged Rory again, "I've missed you baby girl! You can have your old room back and we can probably find a mattress to squeeze Jess in with Luke."  
  
"Uh, that won't be necessary, mom," Rory said.  
  
Lorelai looked puzzled, "I thought you were both staying."  
  
Rory took a deep breath, "Jess can share with me," she said, "if you don't mind."  
  
"What? Ooohhhhhh," Lorelai was taken aback, "uh, no. I guess that's fine. You're nineteen years old and living with the guy. I can handle this.... It's just a surprise.... I thought... I mean... You and Jess... Friends.... How long's this been going on for?" she finally managed to form a coherent sentence.  
  
"Not long," Rory said, "I would have told you, but we haven't talked since it happened. I'm sorry."  
  
"And I'm sorry you didn't know Luke moved in. This is so sad!" Lorelai despaired, "it's exactly what I as afraid would happen when you left home. All these important things happen in your life and I don't even know!"  
  
When Rory first moved away they would talk on the phone practically every night, but gradually their calls reduced to once a week and now both their lives were so busy they didn't get a chance to talk very often at all.  
  
"I know!" Rory still considered her mom to be one of her very best friends, "we need a tradition," she declared, "every Sunday night we'll sit down with the phone and a coffee and catch up."  
  
"Absolutely," Lorelai agreed, "I'm so glad you're here."  
  
"Me too. So, you and Luke...?"  
  
Lorelai shook her head, "nope, no matter what you hear from the nutty villagers, I swear we're just friends."  
  
They went upstairs to find the guys.  
  
"We're not interrupting any male bonding are we?" Rory joked.  
  
Jess shook his head and slid an arm around her waist.  
  
Lorelai and Luke both stared for a sec but quickly adjusted to the sight.  
  
"So it's Friday night, you know what that means," Lorelai said.  
  
"Grandma and Grandpa!" Rory cried like a little kid, "I haven't seen them in ages."  
  
"Well have a good time," Jess told her.  
  
"You're coming too," Rory said matter of factly.  
  
"Yeah, you both should come," Lorelai chimed in.  
  
Luke and Jess looked at each other as if to say 'how can we get out of this one?' but there was no arguing with the Gilmore girls, and they dragged the reluctant guys along to dinner.  
  
  
  
"Rory!" Emily exclaimed when she opened the door. She hugged her granddaughter and then realised the guys were there was well, "Oh, hello Luke, Jess. What a pleasure to see you. Lorelai, so nice of you to call and let us know we'd have company," Emily said pointedly.  
  
"But I know how much you love surprises Mom."  
  
"Hello Rory," Richard joined them.  
  
"Hi Grandpa," she greeted him with a hug.  
  
"How's Harvard?" he asked, "still not tempted to switch to Yale?"  
  
"Nope, sorry. Grandpa, there's someone I want you to meet, this is Jess."  
  
"Nice to meet you Mr Gilmore," Jess said politely.  
  
"So you're Rory's roommate?" Richard asked.  
  
"And my boyfriend," Rory wanted to get it out in the open as soon as possible.  
  
Richard scrutinized Jess more carefully and Jess was glad Rory had made him wear a nice shirt.  
  
"Well, at least he's at a good college," Richard said finally, "unlike that tall one who built cars and didn't know what he wanted to do with his life."  
  
As they moved to the dining room Richard realised Luke was there also.  
  
"Who's that?" he asked Emily.  
  
"That's that Ice Man, remember? He runs that diner."  
  
"Ah, what's he doing here?"  
  
"He's Jess' uncle. And he's living with your daughter."  
  
"Since when?" Richard asked.  
  
"I don't know, I haven't talked to her since I found out. Lorelai," Emily called her daughter over, "Lorelai, not only is it rude not to return phone calls, it would be nice of you to inform your parents when you decide to move in with a man."  
  
Lorelai was sick of explaining her and Luke's situation, "He's just a friend staying with me while his apartment is fixed up."  
  
"I don't know why you just can't tell us the truth Lorelai," Emily said crossly as she took her seat.  
  
Lorelai just threw her hands up in the air as she took a seat beside Luke, "fine we've been sleeping together for years. In fact, I'm having his love child, is that what you want to hear?"  
  
"And he wanders around the house in his underwear," Jess added.  
  
"Not helpful," Rory warned him as Luke blushed.  
  
Richard was still trying to clear up everyone's relationship status.  
  
"So Jess is Rory's boyfriend, and Luke is Lorelai's boyfriend. And Jess used to live with Luke in the diner?" he asked.  
  
"Luke isn't Lorelai's boyfriend," Lorelai supplied.  
  
"But you just said.." Richard protested.  
  
"It was one of her funny jokes," Emily explained.  
  
"So Luke and Jess are just friends with Lorelai and Rory?" Richard tried.  
  
"No, Jess and Rory are dating," Rory said, while Luke and Jess wisely remained silent.  
  
"It's simple," the maid said, "Rory is Lorelai's daughter,"  
  
"We knew that, thank you," Emily interrupted.  
  
The maid continued to explain, "Rory is Lorelai's daughter, Jess is Luke's nephew, Jess is living with Rory, Luke is living with Lorelai. Jess is dating Rory, Luke wants to be dating Lorelai. Clear?"  
  
"Thank you Helena," Emily said sharply, "I think we're ready for the main course now."  
  
Helena shrugged, "if she doesn't come around give me a call," she whispered to Luke as she left the room.  
  
"Wow, where'd you find that one?" Lorelai asked Emily.  
  
"She used to work for Sarah Hamilton," Emily replied.  
  
"Is she the one who got fired for having an affair with Mr Hamilton?" asked Lorelai.  
  
Emily looked alarmed, "no wonder Sarah was so keen to get rid of her."  
  
"So, Jess," Richard asked, "you're from New York?"  
  
"That's right, I-"  
  
"And you were sent to Stars Hollow because you got into trouble," Richard continued.  
  
Lorelai could see where this was going, "Dad, can I talk to you in the kitchen for a moment?" she asked.  
  
"I remember him. I don't think he's good enough for Rory," Richard said.  
  
"Dad, no one will ever be good enough for Rory. But she's happy with Jess."  
  
"I thought you hated Jess," said Emily, joining them in the kitchen.  
  
"He's a wild teenager," Richard put in.  
  
"He broke Rory's arm!" added Emily.  
  
"That was a long time ago. He's changed. He's a smart kid," Lorelai argued.  
  
"If he was that smart he'd be at Yale," Richard muttered.  
  
"What is it that attracts you to the men in that family?" asked Emily.  
  
"Rory's 19. She can make her own decisions. I thought you'd learn to accept that unless you want to push her away."  
  
Her parents silently accepted this.  
  
"Good, now can we get back to dinner?" Lorelai asked.  
  
They made it through the rest of the meal peacefully.  
  
  
  
Later that night Rory and Jess lay in her bed kissing. Jess' hands began to wander under her PJ top but Rory pulled away.  
  
"We're not having sex in this house. It's too weird," she insisted.  
  
Jess was a little disappointed, but content just to hold her in his arms while Rory talked about how she wanted to see Luke and Lorelai together.  
  
"But what if they get married?" Jess asked, "then we'd be like..."  
  
"Cousins," Rory supplied.  
  
"Eew," Jess added.  
  
"Just because they get together doesn't make us suddenly blood related," she said sensible.  
  
"But if they had a kid then it would be related to both of us by blood."  
  
"Getting a bit ahead of yourself there."  
  
"I would be weird," Jess insisted.  
  
"But we got together first," Rory argued.  
  
"Okay, good point, we just have to get married first then. Makes it seems somehow less soap opera-esque."  
  
"Is that a proposal?" Rory rolled over so she was facing him.  
  
"Would you accept?"  
  
"Ask me properly."  
  
"Lorelai Gilmore the third, will you marry me?"  
  
"Yes," Rory cracked up at he look on Jess' face, "in about five years time! Relax. I had you going there. You know, for such a bad-ass you sure are gullible!" she teased.  
  
Jess tickled her and then pulled her into his arms once more.  
  
"It's not that I wouldn't marry you," he told her.  
  
"I know," Rory kissed his cheek.  
  
"We have only been officially dating for a week."  
  
"Wow, it seems like forever," she said.  
  
"Yeah," he agreed, "I like it that way."  
  
"Me too," Rory murmured before falling asleep in his arms.  
  
  
  
  
  
Lorelai, however, couldn't sleep. She wandered out of her room and knocked on Luke's door.  
  
"Luke," she hissed, pushing the door open slightly.  
  
"Huh?" Luke turned on the bedside light and sat up slightly in bed to reveal a bare chest.  
  
"Gak, Luke are you naked?"  
  
"Nope," Luke lowered the blankets to reveal track pants. Lorelai wasn't sure whether to be relieved or disappointed.  
  
"Come in," Luke offered. He was mildly curious as to what Lorelai was doing in his room in the middle of the night.  
  
Lorelai settled down at the opposite end of the bed to Luke and he handed her a pillow.  
  
"What's up?" he asked.  
  
"Do you think they're having sex right now?" she blurted out.  
  
"Rory and Jess? I don't think so," Luke replied, "but I guess this means you're not completely okay with them being together?"  
  
"Are you kidding? I'm completely freaked out!"  
  
"You're hiding it well."  
  
"Good. This is the first time I've seen Rory in months," Lorelai explained, "I don't want to start a fight. I'm working really hard at being okay with it. I have to accept that Rory's an adult now and let her make her own mistakes."  
  
"Who says Jess is a mistake?" Luke asked.  
  
"I'm sorry Luke, but I can't help being concerned."  
  
"It's okay you know," he assured her, "Jess and Rory have been friends for years. I didn't even think Jess was gonna graduate high school at one stage and now he's at Harvard. Rory's a good influence. You even defended him to your parents tonight," Luke added.  
  
"I wasn't defending Jess, I was defending Rory's intelligence and right to choose."  
  
"You defended Jess."  
  
"Shut up or I'll tell him you miss him!" Lorelai threatened, "so I guess you approve?"  
  
"I think they seem happy," said Luke.  
  
"Well if Rory's happy, I'm happy," Lorelai declared, "but if Jess hurts her I'm coming after him with an axe."  
  
"Where would you get an axe?" Luke wondered.  
  
Lorelai shrugged, "I guess I should be getting back to my own bed," she said somewhat reluctantly. She stood up and tossed the pillow back to him, "thanks for talking to me."  
  
"Anytime," Luke replied.  
  
"Nite Luke."  
  
"Goodnight Lorelai." Luke rolled over and hugged the pillow, warm from where she'd rested on it.  
  
  
  
Aw.... heheh obvious I like shirtless Luke scenes??!! 


	5. Ch5

V  
  
  
  
The next morning Rory awoke to the sound of Lorelai moving around the kitchen. She nudged a sleeping Jess back to his own side of the bed and rolled over to check the clock.  
  
"That can't be right," Rory murmured sleepily to herself, it was far too early on a Saturday morning for her mother to be awake. Curious, Rory padded out the kitchen.  
  
"Hi, Mom, what are you doing up so early?" she asked.  
  
"I'm on Luke-time," Lorelai answered, "he left to open the diner half an hour ago and I've been awake ever since. In fact, I think I'm gonna head over there and bug him for some coffee."  
  
"Why does Luke getting up wake you up? It's not like you're sharing a room or anything," Rory commented pointedly.  
  
"Don't you start," Lorelai rolled her eyes, "I'm leaving now."  
  
"Okay, Jess and I will meet you there later."  
  
"Bye Sweets."  
  
  
  
Rory returned to her room and bounced on the bed, waking Jess up.  
  
"We need a plan!" she announced.  
  
Jess lifted his head from under a pillow, "a plan for what?"  
  
"Getting Mom and Luke together."  
  
Jess groaned, "how many times have you seen 'The Parent Trap'?"  
  
"I'm serious!" Rory insisted, "we're only here for the weekend. We have to do something. Those two need a serious push in the right direction."  
  
"What, like lock them in a dark room together and let nature take its course?"  
  
"No silly, they'd catch on and just be mad when we let the out."  
  
"Woah, you ARE serious."  
  
Rory nodded, "look how happy we are together," she scooted over and rested her cheek against his, "don't you want them to feel this too?"  
  
Jess sighed, "you are too big hearted sometimes, you know that?"  
  
"Yeah, but not all the time," Rory pushed him out of bed.  
  
"Hey!" Jess protested.  
  
"Hurry up and get dressed," she ordered.  
  
  
  
  
  
Rory and Jess entered the diner to find Luke and Lorelai in their regular positions, one drinking coffee and the other serving it.  
  
"So what do you have planned for today?" Luke asked them, offering Rory a cup of coffee.  
  
"Hmm not sure yet," Rory replied, "just visit the town I guess."  
  
"Well I'm about to head to the Inn," Lorelai said, "wanna come visit Sookie and Michel? Well visit Sookie and annoy Michel?"  
  
"Sounds great," Rory quickly polished off her coffee, "you staying here?" she asked Jess.  
  
"Yep, I'll see you later," Jess leaned in for a kiss.  
  
Lorelai averted her eyes from the sight and looked at Luke instead.  
  
"10 seconds," he mouthed to her and Lorelai suppressed a laugh.  
  
"9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1."  
  
"Mmm.. bye," Rory broke away from Jess and she and Lorelai left the diner.  
  
  
  
When they arrived at the Inn Michel indicated that Lorelai had a phone call so Rory went into the kitchen to find Sookie.  
  
"Rory! Hi Honey, how have you been?" Sookie gave her a big hug.  
  
"Hi Sookie, I'm great. How about you and Jackson?"  
  
"Oh we're fine... so I hear you're here with Jess" Sookie squeezed her arm.  
  
"I'd forgotten how fast news travels in Stars Hollow."  
  
"You should have seen everyone when Luke moved in with your Mom."  
  
"I wanted to talk to you about that. Those too are taking waaaay too long to get together," Rory complained.  
  
"I know, the whole town's been hanging out for the wedding for years!"  
  
"Well I want to speed up the process, I'm just not sure how."  
  
"Anything I can do, just let me know," Sookie told Rory.  
  
"Anything you can do about what?" Lorelai asked, joining them just then.  
  
"Oh, not important. So who was that on the phone?" Sookie changed the subject.  
  
"Just one of the many suppliers who refuses to deal with Michel."  
  
"Are you two staying around for lunch?" Sookie asked.  
  
"Sure, that is, if Rory can bear to be parted with Jess for that long," said Lorelai.  
  
"We are not completely co-dependant!" Rory protested.  
  
"Of course not," her mother smiled, "I'm just jealous."  
  
Rory and Sookie exchanged grins.  
  
After lunch Lorelai had to stay at work so Rory back to the diner and she and Jess spent the rest of the afternoon visiting the town.  
  
  
  
That night, back at the Gilmore house Lorelai, Rory, Jess and Luke were cooking dinner. Well, Luke and Jess were cooking dinner. Lorelai and Rory were laughing, dancing around the kitchen, and generally making a nuisance of themselves.  
  
"That's it," Luke declared, switching off the music and glaring at the girls, "you two - OUT!"  
  
Lorelai pouted, "I'm sorry, I promise we'll be good."  
  
"Yeah," Rory chimed in, "we're helping, see?" she held up a mangled potato and compared it to Jess' perfectly cut one, "okay, maybe that's not the best example, but we're trying."  
  
Lorelai continued humming as she snuck a bite of the bread.  
  
"Lorelai! You've eaten half the loaf!" Luke complained. He rescued the remainder of the bread, placed his hands on her shoulders and began steering her out of the kitchen.  
  
"Help!" Lorelai called to Rory.  
  
Before she could go to her mother's aid, Jess scooped Rory up in his arms and held her tightly.  
  
"Don't worry, Luke, I got this one," he called, carrying Rory outside.  
  
Luke effortlessly lifted Lorelai over his shoulder and followed them.  
  
Rory's arms were wrapped around Jess' neck, "can I wear your hat sailor?" she asked.  
  
"How come I don't get the 'Officer and a Gentleman' treatment?" Lorelai complained, "I'm stuck talking to Luke's butt and I can feel the blood rushing to my head...."  
  
Luke lowered her to the porch to stop her tirade, "take a walk," he advised, "dinner will be ready in about half an hour."  
  
Lorelai poked her tongue out at him and she and Rory skipped off down the street.  
  
"Crazy woman," Luke muttered.  
  
"Tell me about it," Jess nodded his head in agreement.  
  
"Rory's always been the sane one," Luke said, "how's living together going?"  
  
"It's good. Especially since we started.. you know. You and Lorelai should try it," Jess winked at Luke as they went back to the kitchen and continued to prepare dinner.  
  
"You've been listening to the deranged locals."  
  
"Think about it," Jess advised.  
  
"Me and Lorelai?" asked Luke.  
  
"Why not? You like being with her."  
  
"Her alarm clock makes farm animal noises."  
  
"So does Rory's," said Jess, "I've actually become quite accustomed to the cheery chickens."  
  
Luke rolled his eyes and found another flaw in his current living arrangement, "the smell of nailpolish," he wrinkled his nose.  
  
"True, but everything else smells pretty good right?" said Jess.  
  
"Yeah," Luke admitted, "better than you that's for sure!"  
  
  
  
  
  
"I've missed this town," Rory commented, looking around as she and her mom strolled down the main street.  
  
"And it's missed you," said Lorelai, "I've heard the gazebo cry out, 'Rory, Rory.'"  
  
"You have not," Rory rolled her eyes.  
  
"Well maybe not technically, but if the gazebo could talk I think it would say something like that."  
  
Rory just laughed, "I've missed you too. There is no one else I could have these conversations with."  
  
They wandered along in happy silence for a little while when suddenly Lorelai spoke up.  
  
"How did you and Jess get together?" she asked Rory, out of no where.  
  
"How did we get together?" Rory repeated, "what a blow-by-blow description?"  
  
"How did you go from being just friends to sleeping together? I mean, you've been friends for a long time."  
  
"Yeah, I know. I think the longer you're friends the harder it is to change that dynamic. No one wants to risk it so the feelings just simmer."  
  
"So what made them boil? Did you walk in on him naked and realise what you'd been missing?"  
  
"No!" Rory blushed furiously.  
  
"Realise you were insanely jealous when he brought another girl home?" Lorelai tried again.  
  
"No, nothing as dramatic as that," said Rory, "there was this exam that I'd been really worried about all week, and when I got out Jess was waiting for me with an extra large coffee. And all of a sudden I just saw it. Is that incredibly corny?"  
  
"Kinda, but I think it's beautiful." Lorelai replayed in her mind a million shots of Luke handing her coffee. "So what happened next?" she asked.  
  
"I kissed him," Rory smiled at the memory, "and he was so surprised, it took him a while to respond."  
  
"But it was a positive response?"  
  
"Oh yeah."  
  
"I can't believe you didn't call me straight away!" Lorelai chastised.  
  
"I'm sorry," Rory said, "I was kinda caught up in the moment. Now I can't believe that it took us so long to get together. In some ways it was inevitable. We'd liked each other since he first moved to Stars Hollow, but things were so complicated then, with Dean, and you hating him. So then we were friends...."  
  
"Stop it, you sound like something out of that Freddie Prinze Jr movie we once watched at a desperately weak moment."  
  
Rory wrinkled her nose, "which one?"  
  
"I don't know they all seem the same. The one where he first meets the girl on a plane, then they meet again at college. It doesn't matter, just forget it."  
  
"Is that the one where his dad has a TV show?" Rory continued.  
  
Lorelai laughed, "this is really gonna bug you now isn't it. You're gonna spend the rest of the day trying to figure out which movie I'm talking about."  
  
Rory scowled, "I'm not thinking about it," she said.  
  
"Good for you. Hey why don't you finish your story?"  
  
"Doesn't not knowing bother you in the slightest?" Rory ignored her mother's suggestion.  
  
"Nope!" Lorelai replied lazily.  
  
They walked along in silence for a couple more minutes.  
  
"So when are you going to do it?" Rory asked Lorelai.  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Kiss Luke."  
  
"Why would you think I was going to kiss Luke?" Lorelai asked, deliberately looking everywhere except directly at Rory.  
  
"Cos you were asking those questions about me and Jess. You're thinking about it, you know you are," Rory prodded, walking backwards in front of Lorelai, demanding her attention.  
  
"Okay, I am," Lorelai admitted with a sigh, "not only is my daughter intelligent, gorgeous and mature she's insightful as well. You're giving me a serious inferiority complex here," she complained.  
  
"But I still can't apply mascara in a moving vehicle the way you can!" Rory bounced back to walk beside her mother.  
  
"And I can still run faster than you in heels. Race you home," Lorelai cried as she took off down the street.  
  
They burst through the back door together, red-faced and laughing. The men in the kitchen, although used to the Gilmore antics, gave a quick look of bewilderment.  
  
"What are you doing?" Luke asked.  
  
"Exercise, darling!" Lorelai replied.  
  
"You? Exercise?"  
  
"Absolutely. Don't you hear me get up every night and do my workout video?"  
  
"The only thing I hear in the middle of the night is your snoring!" Luke retorted.  
  
"I do not snore!" Lorelai said indignantly.  
  
"Yeah you do mom," Rory said.  
  
"That must be where you get it from," Jess poked Rory in the ribs affectionately.  
  
"I don't snore!" Rory protested.  
  
"You do too. But it's a cute snore." Jess kissed her lightly and Rory wrapped an arm around his neck and kissed back.  
  
"Not around the food pleased, kids," Lorelai grabbed a piece of bread and began to nibble again.  
  
Luke snatched it off her.  
  
"But I'm hungry after all that exercise," she complained.  
  
"Dinner's ready," Luke handed her a bowl of salad to carry to the dining room.  
  
"This isn't dinner," Lorelai complained.  
  
"No, it's something I can get you to carry, secure in the knowledge that it will all still be there by the time you reach the table."  
  
Lorelai sighed in defeat, "you know me too well."  
  
  
  
  
  
After dinner, Lorelai remembered the sparklers and dragged everyone outside.  
  
Rory and Lorelai were waving sparklers around on the front lawn while Luke sat on the porch step looking somewhat bemused. Jess disappeared with a packet of sparklers, returning several minutes later.  
  
"Quick," he told Rory, "close you eyes," he led he around the side of the house.  
  
"Open," he said proudly.  
  
'LUV U' was spelled out in sparklers.  
  
"I know how much you hate it when people spell like that, but there weren't enough sparklers to write 'I LOVE YOU' in full," Jess explained.  
  
"You're forgiven just this once," Rory hugged him as the sparklers began to fade out.  
  
"And...." Jess prompted.  
  
"I love you too."  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, Lorelai was trying to tempt Luke with a sparkler.  
  
"Take one," she ordered.  
  
"No thanks, I'm over the age of ten."  
  
"You're never too old for sparklers."  
  
"No YOU'RE never too old for sparklers," Luke corrected.  
  
Lorelai sat down beside him, "cummon Luke, don't you believe in magic?"  
  
With a sparker in each hand casting a warm glow over her face, Luke thought Lorelai looked pretty magical at that moment. She was smiling at him, their faces just inches apart, and Luke was very tempted just to lean in a little further....  
  
The sparklers in Lorelai's hand extinguished and a disappointed look fell over her face as the glow vanished.  
  
"Too slow," Luke muttered to himself.  
  
"Did you say something?" Lorelai asked.  
  
Luke just shook his head as Rory and Jess reappeared and said goodnight before heading indoors.  
  
It was a beautiful warm night and Lorelai wasn't ready to go inside just yet. She and Luke sat under the chuppa talking.  
  
"I'm sorry to have wasted the chuppa," Lorelai said, lying on her back with her hands propped behind her head, "maybe we should give it to Rory and Jess."  
  
"You'll use it one day," Luke assured her. He lay down too, resting his head on her thigh.  
  
"If you make a comment about how soft and comfortable my thigh is I'll be very offended," Lorelai warned, "it's muscular and firm from all the exercise I got this afternoon."  
  
"If I was going for soft and squishy I'd be lying on your stomach," Luke teased her.  
  
***  
  
Inside, Rory peered out the window, "they're not doing anything," she complained to Jess, "just talking."  
  
"What did you expect?" Jess asked.  
  
"When we were on our walk Mom admitted she was thinking about kissing Luke. Did he say anything?"  
  
"Luke's been thinking about kissing her for years," Jess responded, shaking his head, "some guys just waste so much time never making a move."  
  
Rory left the window to sit beside him, "you should know, I'm the one who initiated our first two kisses! The important, scary ones," she complained.  
  
"Well I'll have to rectify that right now," Jess leant in to kiss her.  
  
***  
  
Outside, Lorelai and Luke were lying in comfortable silence.  
  
"We've been friends for a long time," Lorelai commented suddenly.  
  
"A REALLY long time. So?" Luke lifted his head to look at her.  
  
"So.. Nothing," Lorelai said, indicating for him to lie back down.  
  
She yawned, "I'm gonna fall asleep here soon."  
  
"That's okay, it doesn't look like rain," said Luke.  
  
"Wrong response."  
  
"That's okay, I'll carry you inside if you do?" Luke tried again.  
  
"Much better," a contented Lorelai closed her eyes.  
  
  
  
  
  
TBC... 


	6. Ch6

AN: Final part! I want to say thanks to my karaoke-loving friends (if you're sexy and you know it clap your hands) And Mikey and Nath, cos, although they'll never know it, I had Luke steal their moves.  
  
  
  
  
  
VI  
  
  
  
  
  
On Sunday night, the last night of Jess and Rory's visit, the entire town was at the karaoke festival.  
  
"I don't believe this," Jess grumbled to Luke as they found some spare seats.  
  
"Shh, they're about to start, don't worry, it'll be fun!" Rory promised.  
  
Miss Patty announced that Kirk was the first one up, as he had 'something special' prepared.  
  
"Uh Oh," Lorelai whispered.  
  
Luke snorted, "this'll be good."  
  
"What's he wearing?" Jess asked, "are those tights?"  
  
Rory leaned in a little closer, "eew, I think they are," she wrinkled her nose, "not a pretty sight."  
  
"Hey Kirk, whatcha wearing?" Lorelai called out.  
  
"Tights give more flexibility for my dance routine," he yelled back.  
  
Lorelai elbowed Luke, "see, watching Kirk make a fool of himself will be well worth the price of admission.  
  
Rory appeared concerned, "a singing, dancing Kirk? I'll be scarred for life!"  
  
"I know!" Lorelai agreed, "I still haven't fully recovered from that short film at the Stars Hollow movie festival, and that was like three years ago."  
  
"Silence please, and I'll begin. This is my original piece, I call it 'A new beginning.'"  
  
Kirk started with dramatic movements to the music  
  
"I thought the whole idea of karaoke was to butcher someone else's songs," Jess whispered.  
  
"This is...disturbing," Rory commented, "he looks like he's having an epileptic fit."  
  
  
  
Suddenly the music became more cheerful and Kirk began to sing.  
  
"Is that French?" Lorelai asked, "Rory, what's he saying?"  
  
"Apple..moon...potato..river...love..."  
  
"I know it's been a while Sweetie, but that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Maybe we can get Michel to translate," Lorelai looked around, but Kirk finished just then.  
  
"I don't believe this," Luke muttered as everyone clapped.  
  
"Sshhh, be nice," Lorelai told him, "he thinks he's artistic. We all have our little fantasies."  
  
  
  
"Really, what's yours?" Luke asked, interested.  
  
"Wouldn't you like to know," Lorelai raised her eyebrows at him.  
  
  
  
After several more traditional karaoke performances everyone was relaxed and enjoying themselves when Miss Patty announced; "I think it's time we heard from the lovely Gilmore Girls. Lorelai and Rory, come on up!"  
  
  
  
"Do you think we can make a run for it?" Lorelai asked Rory.  
  
"Nah, we'd never make it, I vote for hiding out under the chairs," Rory replied, but Jess placed his hands on her waist and pushed her up.  
  
Reluctantly, they made their was to the stage where Lorelai grabbed a microphone.  
  
"Okay, since singing is one talent us Gilmores are NOT blessed with, we'll make this brief. Ready?" she looked to Rory who nodded her head in agreement.  
  
"Da da da doo doo doo doo doo-do doo do-do......"  
  
"Bought myself one of those keyboard axes  
  
Wanted to get out and dance away from the piano  
  
That could have been the beginning of the end  
  
If I wasn't already in the middle  
  
The crowd was confused - and then they cheered  
  
My career it was back on track  
  
I was relieved, full of love for the people"  
  
"I said 'Thank you,'" Lorelai sang.  
  
" each and every one of you," Rory interjected.  
  
"For loving me at my worst"  
  
They both continued;  
  
"If this isn't love it's very close  
  
Can you hear the world is waking up?  
  
Can we be crazy for a few more years?  
  
Have I got them in me?"  
  
"Thank you!"  
  
The audience cheered as Lorelai curtsied her way off stage after Rory and whispered something to Miss Patty.  
  
  
  
"See? Crazy," Luke murmured to Jess.  
  
"That's cheating," he said when the girls rejoined them, "you didn't sing the whole song."  
  
  
  
"Well you can show me how it's done," Lorelai replied.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Just then Miss Patty called for everyone to quieten down, "I've just been reminded of another two people who are yet to sing for us, the delectable Luke Danes and the edible Jess Mariano!"  
  
Luke's eyes widened like a deer caught in headlights, "no way," he shook his head firmly.  
  
"Edible?" Jess asked, his eyes pleading with Rory not to make him do this.  
  
But the guys didn't stand a chance. Lorelai and Rory forced them up on to the stage.  
  
"Well pick a song," Jess told Luke.  
  
"You pick a song," his uncle replied.  
  
"Fine, but you're starting," Jess insisted, pointing out a song to Kirk who was operating the machine.  
  
"Let's just get this over with." The music started and Luke began to sing the first verse;  
  
"she rolls the window down,  
  
and she talks over the sound,  
  
of the cars that pass us by,  
  
I don't know why,  
  
but she's changed my mind."  
  
  
  
Wow, Lorelai thought to herself, who knew Luke had such a deep, sexy singing voice?  
  
  
  
Jess joined in for the chorus;  
  
"would you look at her she looks at me,  
  
she's got me thinking about her constantly,  
  
but she don't know how I feel,  
  
and if she carries on without a doubt  
  
I wonder if she'd figured out,  
  
I'm crazy for this girl, yeah I'm crazy for this girl,"  
  
Jess winked at Rory.  
  
  
  
"Did you know Jess could sing?" Lorelai demanded.  
  
Rory just shook her head and smiled, captivated as he sang the second verse.  
  
"She was the one to hold me  
  
the night the sky fell down,  
  
and what was I thinking when,  
  
the world didn't end why didn't  
  
I know what I know now?"  
  
  
  
"Go Lukey!" Lorelai screamed out, watching him turn beet red.  
  
"Alright Jess!" Rory yelled, standing up to hug him as the pair rejoined the girls.  
  
"That was great," Rory congratulated them.  
  
"Yeah, well don't get used to it," Luke muttered.  
  
"Aw, they're embarrassed, that's so cute. But you can't hide that kind of talent Luke, I think you should perform at the diner," Lorelai enthused, "'Coyote Ugly' style!"  
  
"Don't even think about it," Luke warned her.  
  
"I'll be your biggest fan."  
  
Rory watched her mother and Luke banter and pulled Jess aside, "come with me," she grinned mischievously.  
  
"And next up, Luke and Lorelai!" Miss Patty called several minutes later.  
  
"What? Us?" asked Lorelai, looking around as if to spot another Luke and Lorelai making their way to the stage.  
  
"Yes, you," said Rory.  
  
"You're kidding? I've done my duty for the night already," Luke insisted.  
  
  
  
When the song was announced it only got worse.  
  
"Are you trying to torture us?" Lorelai demanded.  
  
"Come on," Rory and Jess steered them firmly towards the stage.  
  
"Roreeee," Lorelai whined, "you can't do this to me! I don' t just hate this song, I loathe it with a passion, detest it with the fire of a thousand burning suns," she declared.  
  
Luke was being equally uncooperative, "Cummon Jess, I don't even know the words," he protested.  
  
"That's why they have them on the screen," Jess replied helpfully.  
  
"I'm gonna kill them," Lorelai whispered to Luke as microphones were thrust into their hands.  
  
"Not if I beat you to it," said Luke.  
  
"That's you," Lorelai hissed as the words appeared on the screen.  
  
Luke shook his head in disgust and half-heartedly began to sing; "I finally found someone, who knocks me off my feet."  
  
"I finally found the one who makes me feel complete," added Lorelai, "it started over coffee, we started out as friends; It's funny how from simple things; the best things begin."  
  
Ah, thought Lorelai, sneaky Rory, this was why they were singing this particular song. It was supposed to mean something.  
  
"Did I keep you waiting?" Luke asked.  
  
"I didn't mind."  
  
"I apologise."  
  
"Baby, that's fine."  
  
"Ya Know - I love your hair..." Luke sang.  
  
"Are you sure it looks right?" Lorelai responded in a high, phoney voice, patting her hair.  
  
The audience began to laugh.  
  
"I love what you wear..." continued Luke.  
  
"Isn't it too tight?" Lorelai acted self-conscious.  
  
"Oh no, Baby, it's not tight enough," replied Luke.  
  
"Hey that's not in the script!" Lorelai laughed, "you've messed us up now."  
  
"Okay, chorus, ready?" asked Luke.  
  
"Oh this is it! I finally found someone; Someone to share my life, I finally found the one; to be with every night..."  
  
Lorelai put one hand on her heart and stretched the other out dramatically towards Luke, "Cause whatever I do, it's just got to be you - Hey that's dirty!"  
  
"How?" Luke stopped to ask her.  
  
"It's talking about doing you!"  
  
"That's not what it means!"  
  
  
  
"What did you write the song?"  
  
Taylor cleared his throat from the sidelines, "are you two right there?"  
  
  
  
"Hey no one's throwing stuff yet," Lorelai replied. The town was enthralled by their impromptu disagreement.  
  
"Well this is romantic," Jess said to Rory, who was laughing so hard she leaned back against his chest for support.  
  
Luke was eager to finish the song and get off the stage, "my life has just begun," he sang.  
  
"I finally found someone..." they ended together.  
  
The crowd erupted with applause.  
  
  
  
On the way home, Lorelai and Luke were still arguing.  
  
"It's just a general it. Like IT has to be you," said Luke.  
  
"It's just got to be you? What's the IT? It's the DOING." Lorelai wasn't giving up.  
  
"Doing it?" Luke was confused, "it's WHATever you do not WHOever."  
  
"Yeah, so WHATever I do, like farm animals or musical instruments, I gotta do you."  
  
"You are the only person who would think of that," Luke told her.  
  
Jess covered his ears with his hands, "make them stop?" he pleaded with Rory.  
  
"Enough!" Rory declared firmly.  
  
"Rory can tell us who's right!" Lorelai declared.  
  
Rory launched into a long, technical, literary analysis about uses of the word 'it' while everyone else tuned out.  
  
"So we'll just let it go?" Luke asked.  
  
Lorelai nodded in agreement, "but thanks for that," she said to Rory.  
  
"Yeah, I love it when you talk smart," Jess said.  
  
  
  
By this time they'd reached the Gilmore porch and Luke was at the front door, just about to go inside.  
  
"Hey Luke?' Lorelai asked tentatively. She sounded nervous, almost shy.  
  
He turned around, "yeah?"  
  
"You mind sitting out here a minute? I want to talk to you."  
  
  
  
"Sure."  
  
Rory gave Lorelai an encouraging look as she and Jess said goodnight and went inside.  
  
Lorelai and Luke sat down on the steps.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
Inside, Rory peered out the window, spying on them.  
  
"Come on, don't you want to witness history in the making?" she asked Jess, who was sitting on the couch, pretending he couldn't care less.  
  
"I'm not an obsessive member of this town."  
  
"Do it for me," Rory pulled him over to sit beside her.  
  
"What are we, twelve?" Jess asked.  
  
"Come on mom, you can do it," Rory encouraged as she watched Lorelai speak animatedly.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
"So I've been thinking," Lorelai began.  
  
"Sounds serious, what about?" Luke prompted.  
  
"About the way the town's been acting since we moved in together, and about something Michel, of all people, said."  
  
"You're taking something that putzy French guy said seriously?"  
  
"I know, I must be losing it."  
  
  
  
"I think you lost it a long time ago," Luke told her affectionately, "so what did he say?'  
  
"He said that we were practically married already. Does it feel like that to you?"  
  
  
  
"That we're married?"  
  
  
  
"Like we skipped the dating, engagement and honeymoon and went straight to being the comfortable old married couple."  
  
Luke paused a moment, "well you know I'd do pretty much anything for you. And I love Rory like a daughter."  
  
"What about me? Do you love me?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"Do you love me?" he countered.  
  
"I'm sure I've told you that I love you."  
  
  
  
"Yeah, right after I give in to your coffee request."  
  
"So I do love you."  
  
"In a you're-a-real-pal/great-coffee-supplier kind of way?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah. And maybe sometimes in a wanna-jump-your-bones kinda way," she smiled at him.  
  
"What about a wanna-spend-the-rest-of-my-life-with-you kinda way?"  
  
"Definitely," Lorelai whispered, leaning towards Luke. Her heart was thumping as she slowly brought her lips closer to his. She stopped just inches before they met and flicked her eyelids up to look at Luke who was in turn looking at her expectantly.  
  
"What are you waiting for?" he asked.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
"Ah, so close! Come on, keep going," Rory prompted, pressing her nose against the glass.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
"Just a dramatic pause," said Lorelai.  
  
  
  
"You're kidding right?" Luke asked.  
  
"Shh, you're spoiling the moment," Lorelai hushed him.  
  
"They moment is passing us by!"  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
"Hurry up and kiss him already!" Rory cried impatiently.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
Teasingly, Lorelai stuck out her lower lip so it brushed against Luke's for a fraction of a second.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
"This is it folks, the moment we've all been waiting for," Jess intoned.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
Lorelai licked her lips then let her tongue dart out to lash across Luke's lips. She gave him a mischievous grin.  
  
"Come here!" Luke said impatiently. He crushed his lips against hers and Lorelai responded eagerly.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
"Finally!" Rory sighed happily and pulled back from the window.  
  
"You're a nut," Jess told her.  
  
"But you love me for it!"  
  
  
  
"Yeah, I do. Now can we concentrate on our own love life?" Jess pulled Rory onto his lap.  
  
  
  
"Absolutely!" she kissed him soundly.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
Lorelai and Luke broke apart, both smiling.  
  
"So...." Luke began.  
  
"So."  
  
"Sooooo?"  
  
"So what?"  
  
"So what does this mean?" Luke asked.  
  
"That IT, whatever it may be, has got to be you," Lorelai replied.  
  
"That's good."  
  
  
  
"Yeah, I think so."  
  
  
  
"So, what now?"  
  
"I have a couple of suggestions," Lorelai said with a cheeky grin.  
  
Luke pulled her to him again and they shared an indecently steamy kiss considering their location.  
  
  
  
  
  
And all was right in the world....  
  
  
  
THE END  
  
  
  
Hope you enjoyed.  
  
And if anyone knows how to do italics pls let me know!!!  
  
  
  
Songs:  
  
'I Finally Found Someone' - Barbara Streisand & Bryan Adams  
  
'Crazy for the Girl' - Evan & Jarron  
  
'Thank You (for loving me at my worst)' - The Whitlams 


End file.
